Interview with Michael Guy Harris

British officer served with 75th Anti-Tank Regt, Royal Artillery, 11th Armoured Div in GB and North West Europe, 3/1941-5/1945

REEL 1 Background in Weston Coyney and Mill Hill, GB, 1916-1940: family; education in Mill Hill, including membership of Officer Training Corps; period as student at medical school; employment. Aspects of period as officer cadet with in GB, 1939-1940: enlistment in British Army and awaiting call-up; posting to No 121 Officer Cadet Training Unit, Royal Artillery, Aldershot Garrison; decision to join Royal Artillery. Aspects of period as officer with Royal Artillery in GB and France, 1940-1941: gunnery training; commission and posting to Ascot Racecourse; voyage to Le Havre, France; period in France; evacuation via Le Havre, France; posting to 20th Anti-Tank Regt, Royal Artillery, 3rd Infantry Div; role of regiment. Recollections of period as officer with 75th Anti-Tank Regt, Royal Artillery, 11th Armoured Div in GB, 3/1941-6/1944: background to joining 75th Anti-Tank Regt in Liverpool; promotion to captain; background of unit members; story of meeting wife; pattern of postings in GB; joining 11th Armoured Div, 3/1941; memories of Major-General George Roberts; cancellation of posting to North Africa; leisure activities; marriage, 1943; opinion of Ordnance QF 6 Pounder Anti-Tank Gun; characteristics of Ordnance QF 17 Pounder Anti-Tank Gun; supply of transport vehicles from United States of America; knowledge of approaching invasion of Normandy, France; waterproofing of vehicles; knowledge of D-Day landings, 6/6/1944; reaction to overseas posting. REEL 2 Continues: contact with landing ship tank crew and approach to beach. Recollections of operations as officer with 75th Anti-Tank Regt, Royal Artillery, 11th Armoured Div in Normandy, France, 6/1944-8/1944: beach landing, 13/6/1944; meeting brother in concentration area at Cully; first action in Cully; casualties; problems with terrain; receiving friendly fire from infantry; memories of clerk Jack Smith; relations with gunners; in action at Hill 112; reinforcements; reactions to situation; censorship of mail; attitude to battle fatigue; physical effects of war; memories of Captain John Hardy; operations at Martin-Saint-des-Besaces and Le Bény-Bocage; capture of battery quartermaster sergeant; action against Tiger Tank; visit to knocked-out troop. REEL 3 Continues: relations with troops. Recollections of operations as officer with 75th Anti-Tank Regt, Royal Artillery, 11th Armoured Div in North West Europe, 9/1944-5/1945: advance north through France; reception on arrival in Antwerp, Belgium; reception from civilians; nature of German opposition in Belgium; opinion of Operation Market Garden, 9/1944; memories of fellow officers; problems with mines; Christmas, 25/12/1944; relations with civilians in Belgium and Netherlands; patrolling on River Maas, Netherlands; dealing with prisoners of war and contact with United States Army troops; visit from General Bernard Montgomery; memories of battery sergeant-major; reception from civilians in Germany; advance to Lübeck, Germany. REEL 4 Continues: prior recollection action at Hill 112, Normandy, France; nature of operations in Normandy, France; writing to families of casualties; advance through France; rest period; story of troop parrot; morale; problems with conditions underfoot; Christmas, 25/12/1944; relations with civilians in Netherlands and Belgium; loss of guns and period in infantry role on River Maas, Netherlands; advance into Germany, 1945; relations with German civilians; VE Day celebrations, 8/5/1945; question of fearing Waffen-SS troops. REEL 5 Continues: nature of advance toward Caen, Normandy, France; attack made across River Orne, Normandy, France; state of Caen. Aspects of period as officer with 75th Anti-Tank Regt, Royal Artillery in Germany, 1945-1948: accommodation after war in Germany; presence of German admiral; scenes during liberation of concentration camp; postings with other units in Germany. Aspects of period as officer with British Army in GB, Egypt and Australia, 1948-1968: period as student at Staff College, Camberley, GB; activities as staff officer in Fâyid, Egypt; reasons for remaining in British Army after Second World War; story of first morning in Egypt; duties at War Office as assistant in Lieutenant-General Ouvry Roberts memories of Lieutenant-General Ouvry Roberts; period with 12th Anti-Aircraft Bde in West Germany, 1955-1958, including family; obtaining posting to Australia and story of staff college report; location of Australian Army Staff College, Canberra, Australia; duties; background of students; family; Territorial Army command in Perth, GB; role as chief of staff at Cuerdon Hall, near Preston, GB; period as instructor in Manorbier with accommodation in Tenby, GB. REEL 6 Continues: opinion of anti-aircraft weapons; period as regular officer serving with Territorial Army; reorganisation of Territorial Army and retirement; involvement in development of anti-aircraft missiles; reaction to retirement.